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How to Start your Own Carpet
Cleaning Business
There are two fairly new, and very important
conditions existing in the world today that have not only made the carpet
cleaning industry a 'multi million pound business', but also practically
guarantees your success as an entrepreneur in this field.
First, almost all homes and offices built since
1960 have wall to wall carpeting.
Secondly, the replacement costs and the cyclical
faltering of the national economy have caused people to want to make what they
already own last longer, especially in the case of carpeting, which is a
sizeable investment.
Most businesses employ janitors or janitorial
services to vacuum their carpets after hours daily, and then "master" carpet
cleaners to deep clean them every three months or so.
Homemakers also generally vacuum their carpets
perhaps several times a week, and then hope to deep clean every spring and
autumn, depending on the kind of household traffic, and on their budgets.
It's true that people everywhere try to save money
by handling these jobs themselves.
However, empathy with the people, and an
understanding of this trend, should be neither cause for alarm nor a deterrent
to your success in this business.
Most people are just too busy to handle all their
do-it-yourself projects.
They continually put off until later any chore
that requires special equipment.
This is especially true with carpet cleaning,
because deep down, they're fearful of botching the job.
Thus, they're more than willing to pay an expert
or a specialist to do this kind of work for them.
It doesn't take any special education, skill, or
experience to operate a professional-type, deep cleaning carpet cleaner.
Yet, from your first job onward, you should
project the image of a thoroughly experienced expert in your field.
Be clean, and conduct yourself in a business-like
manner at all times.
Dress neatly. In fact, one of the best ways to get
off to a fast start is to purchase a working uniform from Alexandre.
When you hire people to help you with the work,
outfit them similarly.
Go out of your way to be polite and friendly with
your customers, but refrain from being too friendly.
Avoid getting involved in extended conversations -
if you are to keep on schedule, you won't have time for a lot of talk.
Keep your equipment clean, properly maintained,
and operating smoothly.
Have your supplies organised and within easy
reach.
Don't allow yourself to be caught in a position
where you have to make excuses because the equipment won't function properly,
you can't find what you need, or you suddenly find yourself out of certain
supplies.
When working just concentrate on doing the job and
moving on to your next customer.
If the customer questions you about the cost to do
the other rooms, give an estimate and set up a tentative appointment, which you
should later confirm with a call-back after checking your schedule.
Don't try to sell your complete carpet cleaning
services on this first call, but do be sure to leave a business card with the
name of your company and your phone number.
Your service is the "deep down shampoo cleaning"
of carpeting in your customers' homes or places of business.
Always strive to use the best equipment that's
available.
Later on - possibly on a month or six weeks -
you'll want to buy or lease your own equipment.
Your business will grow and flourish as a result
of your doing a good and complete job every time.
It may take you a few minutes longer - especially
when you are learning the equipment and establishing a procedure - but in the
end this wilL pay off with satisfied customers; and a group of satisfied
customers is the key to your becoming wealthy in this business.
You want your customers to call you again and
again to clean their carpets.
Being pleased with your work, they'll spread the
word about your service, free of charge!
And this, of course, will generate an almost
unlimited amount of ongoing work for your new business.
And I'm going to show you how you can get started
in this business, and make £300 or more per working day, with virtually
no investment!
The important part of this business - or any
business - is the owner-operator's "sense of marketing" and salesmanship.
Make no mistake about it, all businesses success
through marketing strategies and salesmanship.
You won't be selling a product with this business;
you'll be selling a service.
And the selling of services is often more
difficult than product sales.
Your success in this business will be predicated
upon the sales efforts put in.
Getting if off the ground will require a great
deal of selling expertise on your part.
You'll have to sell yourself AND your
services.
Therefore, it will be to your benefit to learn all
you can about selling.
Then, you should continue to add to your knowledge
through an ongoing programme of learning.
Keeping up to date and being aware of successful
selling ideas and methods will add to the total success of any business
person.
Even before the acquisition of equipment, you need
customers.
Your prospects are all the businesses and homes
with carpets in your area.
Your problem is going to be in reaching these
prospects, impressing upon them the benefits of your service, and getting them
set up with an appointment for you to do the work.
I have fund that the least expensive and most
productive method of reaching these people is by way of neighbourhood
"hand-out" flyers or announcements delivered door to door.
These flyers are advertisements or announcements
of a "Carpet Cleaning Special", printed on A4 sheets of paper that invite the
recipients to call you for an appointment.
Study the carpet cleaning service ads in your
local papers, the yellow pages, and any similar flyers you may have received or
seen.
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