I realize with so few posts, a blog about running your cleaning business should be mostly about that. I couldn't help myself yesterday.
Ok, here is the question. Are you a salesperson or an order taker? If you think going out to provide a proposal simply means collecting the info and arranging a start date, you are sadly mistaken. I have far too many clients, some even after coaching, that don't get this point. When you are in front of a prospect you need to understand this is your opportunity to learn, share, and work on that first all important fundemental element of closing a sale, creating a relationship. This is not the time to be hastily qualifying the sale like a used car salesman. Sometimes if you do a great job in relationship development, you will leave knowing the job is yours, or at least feeling confident that at some point in the future there is a good chance of that. Then you still have to go through the process. Develop the bid, present it, and provide ongoing follow-up. The point here is to continue to develop the relationship so you position yourself to be the go-to company at some point in the future. Just because they may be happy right now, does not mean it will stay that way. I've seen far too many "order-takers" get too pushy and lose any chance of closing a sale.
At my marketing company, we often follow-up with prospects that we have set appointments for with our clients. We hear things like:
-they were too pushy on the phone
-they asked too many questions before they even came out
-they said they don't do one time jobs or one time cleans
-it was too small to come out
-they never came back with the bid
I once got a $6,000 a month building plus all their supply business that started from a once a week, $26 restroom cleaning only bid. This building also led to me getting Addidas as one of my clients, which was a fantastic reference that led to many other accounts.
I'd like you to look at your process. Review the questions you ask when you are out on a bid. Review your follow-up process. Do you have a follow-up process? Think about your own attitudes in this all important element of your business. Every contact with a prospect can be a step closer to signing if you haven't sabatoged yourself in an earlier contact by acting like an "order-taker". This is the difference between having a 5% closing rate versus a 30% closing rate.
Sunday, May 30, 2010
Saturday, May 29, 2010
A Hole Rant
Take that as you like, there are many possible connotations, some of you may direct it back at me after reading this... This is my most recent ongoing rant, this is not my whole rant about the hole, only a partial. Something to think about...
If we are the greatest country in the world (and we are), and we can send a man to the moon (we really did), and we can kill millions with our nuclear arsenals (we could), and we can feed millions across the vast earth (we do), why can't we plug a simple hole in our own back yard? I realize the hole is under water, but how big of a hole are we talking about? Isn't this a matter of feet or a few yards? I realize the hole is spewing pressurized liquid gold. I would think that would make it even more important to some. Won't this impact world oil prices and everything else that goes with it? They say the hole leak is already worse than the Exxon Valdez, they say that it will get much worse. They say it will cost billions to clean up, is this a new twist to the recovery plan? A new long term fix to unemployment, give everyone jobs picking up dead fish, birds and other wildlife? I thought it was going to be roads and bridges? You say that's crazy, I know it is, because too many fine citizens would rather collect unemployment than actually work.
Quick sidebar - Proof of that point, I just ran a help wanted ad for an appointment setter position that pays $9 to $17 per hour. Not for long, but for now, I'm in a state with one of the worst unemployment rates in the country. How many resumes do you think I have received after 5 days? Four, that's right four resumes, that same ad produced 10-20 responses a day two years ago. Now before you start sending me emails telling me that's a bunch of garbage, let's be honest. You know, that you know at least one person that is not trying as hard as they can to actually work. They don't want to be "underemployed" right? Also, I hope you realize that the actual unemployment rate does not include those that have given up looking. I also don't think it counts those that have entered government sponsored education programs (retraining), that aren't looking for work. So with all that said, the number is more like one in five. So if you have heard of at least one person like that, maybe your cousin on the other side of the family :-), you know the number of actual people milking it when they could be working is huge. When I was a teenager, I worked at Taco Bell this was the early eighties, during another real tough economic time. Besides high schoolers, I remember working along college students and young and middle-aged moms. Where have they went?
Back to the hole rant - But why have the great and mighty leaders in Washington who are supposed to care about our environment still watching and waiting after six weeks? Why aren't they solving the problem, well it's a vacation weekend, it will get figured out eventually... This is really change I can believe in, I can see it, and I believe it. Hopefully by the next election America will too!
If we are the greatest country in the world (and we are), and we can send a man to the moon (we really did), and we can kill millions with our nuclear arsenals (we could), and we can feed millions across the vast earth (we do), why can't we plug a simple hole in our own back yard? I realize the hole is under water, but how big of a hole are we talking about? Isn't this a matter of feet or a few yards? I realize the hole is spewing pressurized liquid gold. I would think that would make it even more important to some. Won't this impact world oil prices and everything else that goes with it? They say the hole leak is already worse than the Exxon Valdez, they say that it will get much worse. They say it will cost billions to clean up, is this a new twist to the recovery plan? A new long term fix to unemployment, give everyone jobs picking up dead fish, birds and other wildlife? I thought it was going to be roads and bridges? You say that's crazy, I know it is, because too many fine citizens would rather collect unemployment than actually work.
Quick sidebar - Proof of that point, I just ran a help wanted ad for an appointment setter position that pays $9 to $17 per hour. Not for long, but for now, I'm in a state with one of the worst unemployment rates in the country. How many resumes do you think I have received after 5 days? Four, that's right four resumes, that same ad produced 10-20 responses a day two years ago. Now before you start sending me emails telling me that's a bunch of garbage, let's be honest. You know, that you know at least one person that is not trying as hard as they can to actually work. They don't want to be "underemployed" right? Also, I hope you realize that the actual unemployment rate does not include those that have given up looking. I also don't think it counts those that have entered government sponsored education programs (retraining), that aren't looking for work. So with all that said, the number is more like one in five. So if you have heard of at least one person like that, maybe your cousin on the other side of the family :-), you know the number of actual people milking it when they could be working is huge. When I was a teenager, I worked at Taco Bell this was the early eighties, during another real tough economic time. Besides high schoolers, I remember working along college students and young and middle-aged moms. Where have they went?
Back to the hole rant - But why have the great and mighty leaders in Washington who are supposed to care about our environment still watching and waiting after six weeks? Why aren't they solving the problem, well it's a vacation weekend, it will get figured out eventually... This is really change I can believe in, I can see it, and I believe it. Hopefully by the next election America will too!
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Labor Savings Can Be Found In The Floors!
Hello again, still want to live up to to making posts more days than not, that may be tough for this month, but I still vow to beat April and continue improving. I'm cheating a bit, I'm pasting a tidbit I published a few years ago, but still great info for the newbies. Thanks!
From CleaningCoach 2007 Newsletter
Carpets
Have you ever tried a backpack vacuum? They provide a great way to save time on the job. It's true in most cases they don't clean as effectively as your commercial upright but that often isn't an issue. Typically, the farther you get away from the entries, the cleaner the carpets, because the soil is walked off. You don't really have to use an upright to pick up hole punches, staples and pocket lint do you? They work great under and around furniture, on stairs, and you can even hit some of the hard floor surfaces with them. They also tend to be more reliable which will save you some dough on repairs and maintenance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you replace your upright with a backpack, but if you have relatively clean buildings where you utilize more than one vacuum, you should make one of them a backpack. If you don't own at least one, consider purchasing one next time you need to buy equipment.
How about the hard floors?
Wow! I was a skeptic at first, you know what they say about teaching old dogs new tricks, but my equipment rep. twisted my arm into a free trial. I'd seen them at the tradeshows and in the showrooms. When they told me I could save 40% on labor I said "uh huh" and changed the subject. I'm talking about MicroFiber Mopping Systems. I tested this system in a 40,000 square foot grade school a few months ago and within a week I was on the phone to the rep. saying sign me up! I was talking to a client from Texas last week who takes great pride in his finished product and pardon me if I have the quote wrong, he said something like, "This makes the old way like stirring a mud puddle with a stick." That's not far from the truth. Did I save 40% on labor? Not yet I haven't. So far, the labor savings look closer to 20%, but the floors seem 50% cleaner! What will that do for your business? The start up cost is a little more than a traditional mop and bucket since you have to invest in the rewashable cleaning pads. The product specs state that you can wash and reuse each pad up to 300 times before you have to replace it. This is definitely something I would recommend that you at least try.
You can win a complete MicroFiber Mopping System set-up, including bucket, handle, applicator, and pads, if you are the winner of this month's Feedback / Idea Submission Contest. More next month...
Best Regards and God Bless
Nick
From CleaningCoach 2007 Newsletter
Carpets
Have you ever tried a backpack vacuum? They provide a great way to save time on the job. It's true in most cases they don't clean as effectively as your commercial upright but that often isn't an issue. Typically, the farther you get away from the entries, the cleaner the carpets, because the soil is walked off. You don't really have to use an upright to pick up hole punches, staples and pocket lint do you? They work great under and around furniture, on stairs, and you can even hit some of the hard floor surfaces with them. They also tend to be more reliable which will save you some dough on repairs and maintenance. Don't get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you replace your upright with a backpack, but if you have relatively clean buildings where you utilize more than one vacuum, you should make one of them a backpack. If you don't own at least one, consider purchasing one next time you need to buy equipment.
How about the hard floors?
Wow! I was a skeptic at first, you know what they say about teaching old dogs new tricks, but my equipment rep. twisted my arm into a free trial. I'd seen them at the tradeshows and in the showrooms. When they told me I could save 40% on labor I said "uh huh" and changed the subject. I'm talking about MicroFiber Mopping Systems. I tested this system in a 40,000 square foot grade school a few months ago and within a week I was on the phone to the rep. saying sign me up! I was talking to a client from Texas last week who takes great pride in his finished product and pardon me if I have the quote wrong, he said something like, "This makes the old way like stirring a mud puddle with a stick." That's not far from the truth. Did I save 40% on labor? Not yet I haven't. So far, the labor savings look closer to 20%, but the floors seem 50% cleaner! What will that do for your business? The start up cost is a little more than a traditional mop and bucket since you have to invest in the rewashable cleaning pads. The product specs state that you can wash and reuse each pad up to 300 times before you have to replace it. This is definitely something I would recommend that you at least try.
You can win a complete MicroFiber Mopping System set-up, including bucket, handle, applicator, and pads, if you are the winner of this month's Feedback / Idea Submission Contest. More next month...
Best Regards and God Bless
Nick
Friday, May 7, 2010
Do The Math
Funny story, I will share real quick. I was talking to Sokoeun, at the office today and he told me about a client that decided not to reorder. We just finished her package a couple days ago. He said that she was concerned that she only closed four new contracts out of the last batch of twenty appointments that she purchased. Uh, HELLO..... You have already closed 4 or 20% plus you still have many live bids left, meaning bids out there that have not said no yet, still thinking about it, waiting to be closed. Even, if no other new accounts are added, the telemarketing is paid for in less than 90 days and the rest goes straight to the bottom line every month. That's what I call stackable profit!
Do you remember that guy on the infomercials, I think for Ronco, that coined the famous phrase,"set it and forget it"? That's the way you have to think about your telemarketing investment. It's not like other advertising spending where you part with your money and wait for the phone to ring. Oh well, I'm sure she will come to her senses in a few months...
Have a great day!
Do you remember that guy on the infomercials, I think for Ronco, that coined the famous phrase,"set it and forget it"? That's the way you have to think about your telemarketing investment. It's not like other advertising spending where you part with your money and wait for the phone to ring. Oh well, I'm sure she will come to her senses in a few months...
Have a great day!
Monday, May 3, 2010
Workout Done? Check!
(written 4-24-10)
I will try for the most part to keep the majority of this blog confined to The Cleaning Coach and industry related topics. But since, I'm going to make a concerted effort at posting more days than not, I think it will be helpful for me to blab/blog about daily life too. That way I won't have to think that hard! I don't want this to feel like a chore. It's Saturday morning and I just got back from the gym, that feels great. I'm about five weeks into my new exercise quest and it's going great. Ten pounds have melted off and I have another weigh-in tomorrow. Right on track, two pounds per week. What should you weigh when you are 6' 4"? I told someone at the office I had 40 more to go and they said I don't have 40 to lose... I guess I"ll find out.
I will try for the most part to keep the majority of this blog confined to The Cleaning Coach and industry related topics. But since, I'm going to make a concerted effort at posting more days than not, I think it will be helpful for me to blab/blog about daily life too. That way I won't have to think that hard! I don't want this to feel like a chore. It's Saturday morning and I just got back from the gym, that feels great. I'm about five weeks into my new exercise quest and it's going great. Ten pounds have melted off and I have another weigh-in tomorrow. Right on track, two pounds per week. What should you weigh when you are 6' 4"? I told someone at the office I had 40 more to go and they said I don't have 40 to lose... I guess I"ll find out.
Ok. Here's a question for you to think about. Regardless of your business. Do you spend more time on your business or in your business? Don't get me wrong, it's critical to be "in your business" when it's a baby, a toddler and sometimes up to a tween, but when it hits puberty you better spend more time "on your business". If you can't seem to break through to the next level, feel like you are spinning your wheels or feel like you are constantly fighting fires, your business has some issues that need to be diagnosed. Share your challenges and struggles with me and I'll try to give you some parenting tips that have been revealed to me through my 28 years as a business owner, developer and consultant.
Stay clean!
Never Stop Marketing Your Cleaning Business
Ouch! Lost another one today. That's one gone, two days in a row! Glad I followed the advice I preach and built a wide base... If you learn anything from me, I want it to be, to always invest in marketing your business and to always build a wide base. Don't pigeon hole yourself into a certain type or size of account(s). Don't ever feel like you have made it. If your business isn't growing, it's dying. Don't worry, I'm not sticking bicycle spokes in my eyes, I will have the income replaced within a week, because I never stop marketing!
Sorry folks, It's going to be a short one tonight. I have to study my script for a video we are shooting tomorrow. It should be up on www.thecleaningcoach.com by the end of the month. Nothing fancy, just an intro for the site. We are going to split it off from www.cleaningcoach.com so each site can focus on it's specific products and services. Take care.
Sorry folks, It's going to be a short one tonight. I have to study my script for a video we are shooting tomorrow. It should be up on www.thecleaningcoach.com by the end of the month. Nothing fancy, just an intro for the site. We are going to split it off from www.cleaningcoach.com so each site can focus on it's specific products and services. Take care.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
